Antenna: News in English (AM), 97-09-30

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From: Antenna Radio <http://www.antenna.gr> - email: antenna@compulink.gr

News in English 30/09/97

TITLES

• Ecumenical patriarch Vartholomeos receives a head- of-state's welcome in Thessaloniki.
• The Greek foreign minister restates Greece's pre- condition for dialogue with Turkey.
• And, as the Pao juggernaut continues to roll, all the weekend soccer results.

PATRIARCH

Arriving in the city Sunday, Vartholomeos sent out a blessing to Greeks everywhere.

For the first time in 35, ecumenical patriarch Vartholomeos is back in Thessaloniki. And he was welcomed with fanfare and open arms, by religious, political, and military leaders, and hundreds of ordinary people.

In his greeting speech in Thessaloniki, President Kostis Stefanopoulos said, "We thank you from deep in our hearts for your visit. We hope your stay will assist in reaching the great goals set by the church".

Returning the thanks, Vartholomeos sent greetings to all of Hellenism, and touched off a wave of emotion in the crowd when he said: "Arriving in the capital of northern Hellenism we bless you. May the lord watch over you all forever".

The patriarch would bless the people of the city again at the end of a mass at the church of St Dimitrios, the city's patron saint.

During his five days in Greece, Vartholomeos will have dozens of meetings with religious and political leaders.

After his meeting with the patriarch, New Democracy leader Kostas Karamanlis said, "The ecumenical patriarch is an eminent figure, who plays two important roles: he works to enhance the radiance of the orthodox church; and he shows how close he and the church are to the problems of modern society".

On Monday, the patriarch met with defence minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos and the Macedonia-Thrace minister. On Wednesday, he meets with foreign minister Theodoros Pangalos.

During his stay, Vartholomeos will visit a number of exhibitions. None more important than the exhibition of Byzantine treasures from sacred Mount Athos. Visiting it Sunday, Vartholomeos said it's a good chance for people to admire the spiritual and artistic treasures not only of the Orthodox religion, but of the nation. He added that the exhibition in Greece's second city contributes greatly to Thessaloniki's 1997 stint as European cultural capital.

Later in the day, was presented with Thessaloniki's highest award, the gold key to the city.

By Monday afternoon, Vartholomeos had visited the experimental high school in the city, the international trade fair, and th monastery of Vlatades.

On Monday night, the ecumenical patriarch kicked off a two-day conference on the natural environment in Mount Athos.

PANGALOS

Bulent Ecevit worsened the strain on Greek- Turkish relations, saying his country has rights to Greek air space over the Aegean, to Greek territorial waters, and to mineral wealth under the seabed.

Responding to Bulent Ecevit's renewed claims on Greek sovereignty, Greek president Kostis Stephanopoulos said Turkey's threats are not directed only against Greece, but against the legal order, and all those who represent it. Whether those representatives are organisations, groups of nations, or superpowers, they should react.

"I cannot believe", the president added, "that the international community accepts these threats, or wishes to support them".

The Greek foreign minister said on CNN that Turkey's is using the diplomacy of force.

Theodoros Pangalos added that Turkey should expect nothing, since it is making territorial claims.

Ecevit's remarks are the latest setback in the attempt to improve Greek- Turkish relations. Last week, a meeting of Pangalos and his Turkish opposite number in New York came to nothing, after Ismail Gem refused to take Turkey's claim to the Greek isle of Imia to the international court, or drop it. In exchange, Greece was willing to lift its veto on European Union funding of Turkey.

What Turkey is pushing for is an across-the-board bi-lateral dialogue, in which it can raise all its claims on Greek territorial rights, claims which include dozens of Aegan islands.

Addressing the annual conference of the Cypriot Union the US, Pangalos reiterated that there will never be a dialogue in which Greece is the weak partner, and Tukey the strong one. "If we talk", added Pangalos, "we'll talk on equal terms".

In an interview with a Greek Sunday paper, Pangalos repeated that the pre- condition for a Greek-Turkish dialogue is Ankara agreeing to go to the court over Imia.

Turkey's approach recalls that of Hitler's aggressive policies toward Europe between the wars.

In the same newspaper, Gem, the Turkish foreign minister admits that since the two nations reached a non-aggression agreement two months ago, Greece has refrained from provoking Turkey, as the agreement stipulates.

Turkey hasn't, but Gem says he can't understand why Greece is upset. Then he repeats the position that bothers Greece, saying that Turkey cannot go to the court just over Imia, but that Turkey wants to discuss quote "all Aegean issues as a package", unquote.

Responding to the Turkish provocations, Greek government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said "Our position is in line with international law. It's time Turkish leaders got in line with it too".

New Democracy spokesman Aris Spiliotopoulos urged the governemnt to state publicly in no uncertain terms that Greece's territorial and other sovereign rights are non-negotiable.

PAPANDREOU

Monday evening, journalists got copies of the books to be published Wednesday. Earlier in the day, much of what the 579-page tome contains had been made known, as the daily newspaper Ta Nea published excerpts.

The cover of Dimitra Liani Papandreou's book shows Andreas Papandreou standing above a crowd, his hands raised in the victory sign. Behind him, is Liani Papandreou, looking wistfully on.

Andreas Papandreou's widow says of her book: "It would be arrogant of me to pretend to be an historian, or an assistant to historians of the future. I claim no laurels as a writer, and so much the less as a biographer. This book, written only from the heart, is the testimony of the soul".

Despite those words, there are references in it to just about everything: to central political figures of our day; to Andreas Papandreou in opposition and in high office; to his international contacts; to his difficult times at the end of the 80s, when he was indicted on corruption charges; to his days in the hospital before his death; and to personal moments shared by the couple.

Liani Papandreou writes caustically of those in Pasok who opposed her husband during the final years of his career.

"They requested a restriction of his powers, removal, resignation, even the abolition of Andreas Papandreou from 1988 on", she says.

Giorgos Papandreou, the late leaders son, confirms that in 1988, after his father's heart surgery, he indeed did suggest Andreas Papandreou leave politics, because of his health.

The book also relates what Liani Papandreou says were her husband's assessments of leading party members.

She says he like him as a person, but believed he was too theoretical, and would never replace him as party leader.

He like Akis Tsochatzopolos - of whom he said, "He will never betray me" - and Gerasimos Arsenis as possible succesors, but placed the late Giorgos Gennimatas above them all.

According to Liani Papandreou, her late husband foresaw that Simitis, Theodoros Panagalos, and Vaso Papandreou would begin their attack on his leadership, when Simitis resigned as industry minister some months before Papandreou became ill.

In the book, which includes everything from political documents and love letters, personal moments are interwoven throughout with political assessments.

In her description of her late husband's trying time in the hospital in 1995 and 1996 with serious health problems, Liani Papandreou claims there were clandestine attempts to force her husband from office.

"During that time", she relates, "some people put pressure on the doctors to say Andreas Papandreu had stopped functioning intellectually. I know a lot about the role many people played", she adds. "In a beachside villa near Sounio, there were daily medical-political sessions to discuss the situation around his health. Some worked secretly, without a trace of humanity and respect. Antonis Livanis and Giogos Panayiotakopoulos know more than me".

Liani Papandreou remembers the moment of her husband's resignation as prime minister as an emotional event.

"As soon as he resigned, we were all filled with emotion. I went aside to a corner for a bit, because i'd lost the battle with myself, I couldn't hold back the tears. But I returned to him quickly and said: 'forgive me for crying, it's the emotion. You did well in signing the paper'". And she continues: "I knew I wasn't telling the truth, and that he was in pain, though he didn't show it".

But Andreas Papandreou would show emotion afterwards. "You know", he told his wife, "from today on, I'll have fewer guards and we'll have fewer rights. I'm no longer the prime minister". "So what?", his wife replied, "Can't we live with that?"

In another personal moment, Liani Papandreou tells how she'd left her husbands room for a while. "Suddenly", she recalls, "Andreas Alexopoulos came to me upset. 'Please come to the president's room', he implored. I went in. Andreas was lying down, crying. I started crying too. My heart was broken. I asked who had made him cry, but got no answer".

Despite asking her husband several times, she never got an answer. "Perhaps it's because I knew", she speculates. "The reason was his resignation. The beginning of the end".

Liani Papandreou says her husband never broke down completely. He'd already withdrawn permanently within himself.

The book has touched some sensitive nerves in Pasok. Commenting on it, Tilemachos Hitiris, a close associate of Papandreou, said, "I'm against such books, especially just a year after his absence. This book amounts to an attempt to revive the negative climate that existed then.

MAROS

The famous director's photos were displayed in the northeastern city of Komo-tinEE - one of many cultural events celebrating Thessaloniki being the 1997 European cultural capital.

Two films for which Maros was awarded were also shown during the photo exhibit: "Anaste-nAria", about Greek religious customs was shot in 1966; and "Mount Athos", filmed in 1964.

During the exibition the director was honored by ministry of Macedonia and Thrace as well as the organizers of "Thessaloniki 1997".

Looking back on his work, Maros says, "I see a multitude of themes so different from today. I am proud they exist on film for coming generations.

I also recall that the only time I worked in Greece was with Antenna. We made a total of five programmes on the bravery of Greeks who fought during the second world war".

Maros' talent does not end with documentaries, he has also had the opportunity to work with many stars, among them Sophia Lauren, Anthony Quinn, Kirk Douglas and Brigitte Bardot

SOCCER

The Athens powerhouse is 4 and oh after shutting out Veria.

Frank Strantli gets the home team on the scoreboard in the 20th minute, with a 30-metre break into the Veria box, where he has no trouble getting the ball past the keeper.

That proves to be the winner, but Pao gets another goal from Georgos Giorgiades just seven minutes later, making the final score 2-nil.

Elsewhere, surprising Ionikos is hanging tough with Pao at the top of the standings. Ionikos gets its fourth win against no losses against Ethnikos.

Iraklis and Aek both have 3 wins and a draw after their weekend games.

Olympiakos is in fifth place after a big road victory over Ofi. Off to a poor start, Ofi has just one win this season, against a draw and two defeats.

Xanthi rips Proodevtiki, which has won only once in four starts.

Paok and Paniliakos also have an easy time of it at home, and Apollon does it on the road.

BASKETBALL

Centre Panagiotis Fassoulas does serious damage to Apollon in the paint, notching up 18 points, more than compensating for early foul trouble that keeps big man Dragan Tarlach on the bench for much of the contest. Karnisovas goes on a second-half tear, and leads the winners on the night with 25 points.

Other winners over the weekend were Paok, Aris Panathinaikos, Aek, Peristeri, and Pa-nio-nios.

OLYMPIAKOS

Most of the fans at Peace and Friendship Stadium had shown up for the festivities of the trophy ceremony more than they had for the game.

And they weren't disappointed. The spotlights and lazers went on, and the team took the floor to pick up the cup with smiles all around.

PRIEST

That might be true...but not if you live in the city of Kavala and haave met Father Theoharis Megas. The energetic priest flies over the region in his four-seat Rally 180 scouting for fires and shipwrecks.

The priest and part-time pilot says, "I fly everyday for six hours no matter what the weatherman says". Adding that, "The gift of flight is a great thing indeed. You can see the work...the jewel of God in a global way".

Father Theoharis Megas talents don't stop there. He is also a teacher, a painter, an engineer, a mason and an inventor.

Father Megas built the museum at the local school in his village. With his video camera he made a documentary at his own expense about the PomA-kans, a centuries' old people who've kept their language alive passing it down orally.

Admiring villagers call him a man of action, who takes care of his flock when its in need.

To this hero status Father Theoharis shyly replies, "A man can do whatever he wishes. It's a matter of will and love for your work.

© ANT1 Radio 1997

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